Steam-boiler and steam-power generation



e. s'. ROBERTS. STEAMBOILER AND STEAM POWER GENERATION. APPLICATIONFILEYD APR-21, [92].

1,398, 395 Patented Nov. 29, 1921.

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Qttoznag 4 e. s. ROBERTS. STEAM BOI'LER AND STEAM POWER'GENERATION.

APPLICATION FILED APR.2I, 1921. Patented NOV. 29 1921.. 2 SHEETS-SHEET2.

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GEORGE S. ROBERTS, OF BEND, OREGON.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 299, 1921.

Application filed April 21, 1921. Serial No. 463,212.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, G ORGE S. ROBERTS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bend, in the county of Deschutes and the State of Oregon,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-Boilers andSteam-Power Generation; and I do hereby declare that the followingiis afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

The present invention has reference to improvements in steam boilers ofthose types employed in heating-plants, locomo tives, motor-drivenvehicles, power-boats, stationary power-plants, etc., having for anobject to provide a boiler for effecting the rapid generation of steamwith the use of a greatly reduced heating area and without a materialportion of water such as used by the now prevalent above mentioned typesof boilers.

It is also an object of the invention to pr0- vide a boiler having meansin form of pereolating devices for circulating the water as it is heatedand directing the same onto superheated surfaces in order that suchwater will be rapidly converted into steam.

Another novel characteristic of the invention may be stated to reside inthe provision of baflles, so disposed with relation to the fire-tubes ofa boiler as to effect the distribution of fine streams or jets of waterevenly or uniformly thereover and further, the positive reduction of thewater to steam for delivery to the boiler dome.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed outhereinafter.

In order that the invention and its mode of operation may be readilyunderstood by persons skilled in the art, I have in the accompanyingillustrative drawings and in the detailed following description basedthereon set out a practical embodiment of the same.

In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section therethrough a boilerequipped with my invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectiontherethrough, and Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail in section of one of thepercolating devices and fragments of the baffles.

Having more particular reference to the drawings, in connection withwhich like characters of reference will designate cor responding partsthroughout the several views, 1 indicates in its entirety, a boiler,having afire-box provided with the usual crown-sheet in the lowerportion thereof,

as clearly shown in the Fig. 2, and also, with a plurality of spacedsuperposed rows of horizontally arranged fire-tubes 3.

Arranged upon the upper portion of the crown-sheet 2 are a plurality ofcirculating or percolating devices which are indicated for the purposeof convenience by the reference characters a and 5, said devicesconsisting, as shown in the Fig. 3, of elongated tubular members haveenlarged hollow base portions 6 provided about their lower eX- tremitieswith circularly disposed openings 7, the purpose of which will behereinafter apparent. The base portion 6 of the percolating devices atand 5 are preferably rigidly secured in juxtaposed relation upon theconvex side of the crown-sheet 2, as by bolts or other suitablefastening devices, not shown, and the elongated tubular portions thereofextend upwardly between the horizontal fire-tubes 3 to points inproximity to the top of the casing of the boiler 1. In this connection,it is to be noted that the percolating devices 4 are of substantiallyright angular formation, being bent at right angles intermediate theirends in order that the enlarged hollow base portions, 6 thereof may beflushly engaged with the desired portions of the crown-sheet 3, whilethe percolators 5 are slightly offset intermediate their ends, as at 8,in directions opposite to each other, whereby the same will be providedwith an uninterrupted vertical path between the adjacent horizontalfire-tubes 3.

Horizontal plates 9 and 10 are arranged in'the boiler casing in spacedsuperposed relation, the baffle 9 being rigidly secured in position at apoint in proximity to the top of the boiler casing by flanging the endsthereof, as at 11, and passing bolts 12 therethrough into engagementwith adjacent portions of the headers of said boiler, while the baffle10 is arranged below the baffle 9 and is in turn, rigidly secured insuch position by connection with the vertical tubular portions of thepercolators f and 5 in passing, therethrough. A plurality of openings 13are formed in the baffle plate 9, at points laterally ,of the dischargeends of the various percolators 4tand 5, serving as ports for permittingthe passage of steam generated in the boiler to the dome 14 thereof.Other openings 15 are formed in the baffle 10 and serve for a purposesimilar to the openings 13, while in addition to these openings 15, saidplate 10 is provided with a plurality of parallel longitudinallyextending grooves or troughs 16, having openings 17 formed inthelbottoms thereof to permit the escape of water. In this particularconnection, it is well to note that the various perforated perature, apercolating action will ensue,

that'is, the water when heated to the proper degree, will circulate as abody and a portionthereof will enter at openings or ports formed in theenlarged hollow bases 6 of each of the percolating devices 4 and 5 andwill rise in such percolating devices and discharge from the upper endsthereof in form of fine streams or jets onto the uppermost bafile plate9. At this time, the jets or streams of water will be broken up anddistributed onto the uppermost'of the superheated horizontal fire-tubes3. By reason of the finely divided state of the water contacting withthese superheated fire-tubes 3, it will be understood that the same, orat least a major portion thereof willbe rapidly converted into steam,such steam passing off from the boiler by way of the openings 13 in thebaffie plate 9 to the steam dome 141. Such water as is not convertedinto steam or as is formed by condensation, will drain onto the lowerbaffle plate 10 and will ultimately be received in the longitudinaltrough 16 formed therein. From said troughs 16, the water'will pass byway of the escape ports 17 onto those fire-tubes 3 directly below thesame and in this way, the remainder of the water circulated by thepercolators a and 5 will be rapidly converted into steam for upwardpassage through the ports 15 in the baffle plate 10 and the ports 13 inthe baffle plate 9 into the steam dome 1 1 for subsequent use, as may bedesired. Through the operation of the percolating devices 1 and 5, it isobvious that those horizontal fire-tubes 3 disposed above the normalwater line in the boiler will provide an effectual flashing device,which will reduce water contacting therewith to steam and if subjectedto suflicient heat, will function to superheat such steam, thusproducing what is commonly known in the art as dry steam.

Instead of employing my invention with thetyp'e of fire-box as shown inthe drawfor use in connection with various other types of fire-boxes, asfor illustration, those types which are provided with flat or irregularcrowns. -Furthermore, boilers provided with the invention need not be ofa size corresponding to those types of boilers employed atthe presenttime, and also by means of the improved method of circulation, amaterially less quantity of water may be used with success therein.

Manifestly, the construction shown is capable of considerablemodification and such modification as is within the scope of my claims,I consider is within the spirit of my invention.

I claim: Y

1. In combination with a fire tube boiler having its normal water levelat a point below a' portion of the fire-tubes thereof, percolating meansin'the boiler for circulating the water, spaced superposed internalbaflles extending throughout the boiler, one of said bafiles beingarranged to have jets of water from said percolating means impingedthereupon and distributed over the uppermost of said fire-tubes, and theother of said baffles having means for receiving the unconverted waterfrom said jets and distributing the same, by gravity over the remainderof the fire-tubes.

2. In combination with a fire tube boiler having its normal water levelat a point below a portion of the fire-tubes thereof, percolating meansfor circulating the water in said boiler, spaced superposed internalbafiles extending throughout the boiler, one of said baffles beingarranged to have jets of water from the percolating means impingedthereupon for distribution over the uppermost of the fire-tubes andopenings therein for permitting the escape of steam generated to thedome of the boiler, and the other of said bafiles, having means forreceiving the unconverted water from said percolating means anddirecting the same onto the remainder of the fire-tubes.

3. In combination with a fire tube boiler having its normal water levelat a point below a portion of the fire-tubes thereof, percolatingdevices for circulating the water in said boiler comprising hollowelongated tubular members having enlarged perforated hollow basesarrangedadjacent the crownsheet of the boiler fire-box, spacedsuperposed internal baffles extending throughout the boiler, oneof saidbaffles being arranged to have jets of waterfrom the percolating devicesimpinged thereupon for distribution over the uppermost of thefire-tubes, and the other of said baflles having means for receiving theunconverted water from the percolating devices and distributing the sameby gravity over the remainder of said fire-tubes.

4. In combination with a fire tube boiler having a plurality ofhorizontal fire-tubes therein and its normal water level at a pointbelow a portion of said fire-tubes, percolating devices for circulatingwater in said boil ers consisting of elongated tubular members havingenlarged perforated bases positioned adjacent and secured to portions ofthe crown-sheet of the boiler fire-boa, the tubular portions of saidpercolating devices extending upwardly between the fire-tubes, spacedhorizontal internal baffles in the boiler, one of said baffles beingarranged to have jets of water from the percolating devices impingedthereupon and also having steam escape ports therein, and the other ofsaid battles being formed with means for receiving the unconverted waterfrom said percolating devices and directing the same by gravity onto theremainder of the firetubes.

5. In combination with a fire tube boiler having a plurality ofhorizontal fire-tubes comprising upright elongated tubular members forenlarged perforated bases secured to adjacent portions of thecrown-sheet of the boiler fire-box, spaced superposed internal batliesin the boiler, one of said baffles being arranged to have ets of waterfrom the percolating devices impinged thereupon i for subsequentdistribution over the uppermost of said firetubes and also having steamescape openings therein, and the other of said baffles having aplurality of steam escape openings and a plurality of longitudinallydisposed perforated troughs therein for receiving the unconverted waterfrom said percolating devices, said troughs being arranged in verticalalinernent with the firetubes therebelow whereby to direct suchunconverted water onto said last fire-tubes before conversion intosteam.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

GEORGE S. ROBERTS.

